Tool for turning fruit-jar covers



(No Model.)

J. VAN ALTENA. TOOL FOR TURNING FRUIT JAR oovms.

No. 484,070. Patented 00a. 11, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

JOH VAN ALTENA, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TOOL FOR TURNING FRUIT-JAR COVERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters P21176151? No. 484,070,dated October 11, 1892.

Application filed October 19, 1891. Serial No. 409,100. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN VAN ALTENA, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tools for Turning the Covers of Fruit-Jars, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in tools for turning the screw-threaded covers of fruit-jars and the like. Heretofore the putting on and removal of such covers has always been attended with more or less difficulty. It is the object of my improvement, therefore, to overcome the objections now existing in a simple, inexpensive, and expeditious manner; and with this end in view the invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an ordinary fruit-jar with the cover in place thereon and my tool applied thereto in position to properly adjust the cover in place, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool removed.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in both figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A indicates an ordinary fruit-jar, and B the cover thereof.

My tool consists of two principal partsviz., a handle or lever O and clamping-ring D. The latter has extending from one point of its circumference a projection d, which is provided upon its upper surface with two opposite partly-circular side walls (1', leaving' open ends at the points 01 61 the walls being so located with reference to the lever O as to permit a limited but sufficient movement of the lever with reference to the ring to adapt it to clamp the ring to the cap or cover of the jar, while also serving as stops to limit the toogreat movement of the lever with reference to the ring and to compel the convenient movement of the ring under the further movement of the lever. The handle or lever O is undercut at its upper end, as indicated at c, and there formed into a circular head 0, which is pivoted eccentrically to the projection 01 by means of a bolt or rivet E.

In operation, when it is desired to turn the cover from right to left, so as to screw the same in place upon the top of the jar, the handle or lever is operated so as to bring the circular head into contact with the cover. As force is now applied toward the left, the cover will be caused to turn and finally screwed home. It will thus be seen that by constructing the lever or handle and its head in one piece, with the latter pivoted eccentrically, a great leverage is obtained with but a minimum of power applied.

For removing the cover all that is necessary is simply to invert the same, so that the side walls d d will occupy the under position. Force is now applied to the lever toward the right, causing the bearing-surface in the head to engage the cover and turn the same from left to right. It will thus be seen that this device is adapted by reason of its ring form, without a cover or cross-bar, and by reason of the arrangement of the lever-arm eccentrically to its aperture to turn a jar-cover either to right or left, it being only necessary to reverse the device (turn it up side down) when the rotary motion of the cover is to be reversed, to place the device on the cover properly therefor.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that I provide a tool for accomplishing the purpose described in a simple and efficient manner. It is a well-known fact that in many cases the cover adheres to the jars with such firmness as to necessitate the exercise of considerable labor and patience in its removal. This difficulty is effectually over come in the construction above set forth.

While I have described my invention as particularly applicable to fruit-jars, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to that particular adaptation, inasmuch as it is apparent that it may be employed in connection with covers of various other receptacles.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the. United States, is-

1. A tool for turning the covers of jars, consisting of a ring or annulus having no cover or cross-bar, so that it can 'be used either side up, and provided with a projecting lateral flange, and a lever-handle having a circular head pivoted eccentrically to said projecting 10 upstanding opposite side walls adapted to ]imit the movement of the lever-handle on the ring, and a lever-handle having a circular head pivoted eccentrieally on the flange and arranged to swing slightly into the aperture of the ring, the movement of the lever with reference to the ring being limited by the side walls, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN VAN ALTENA.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. MORSELL, ANNA V. FAUsT. 

